Gravity lock



Feb. 27, 1923. 1,447,144

J. B. MILTON GRAVITY LOCK Filed Sept. 2, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 1 WITNESS- ATTORNEY Feb. 27, 1923.

GRAVITY LOCK Filed Sept. 2, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 6 I 7 I I I I /'7 a a a W29 .4. 7% I l 10 a Wig. '7. I! @2196 90 9' l9 9,

I V Y ////////Z F 2 l9 I? L 90 Q I 6 2 a? RMiZtow INVENTOR WITNESS:

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 27, 1923.

JOSEPH B. neuron. or nnrn oigrairoma.

'GRAVI'IY LOCK.

Application filedfiepte nber 2; 1521. Serial No.,497,919.

To all whom it may concern ,Be it knownthat I, JosnPH B. 'MILTQN, a citigaen of ,the United States, residing at Enid, in the county of Garfield and State Of QlLlilhOIDil, have invented newianthuseful Improvements in Gravity Looks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to locking means fOr ra-ilway switches, the general bjectof the invention being to;provide positive means for locking the switch operating parts with the switch in either. opener closed position andto so i-onstrur-t the partsthat the. ke v cannot be withdrawn from the lock unless theparts are inlocked position, so that the switchman Willlmowthat the partsare not properly set from the factthat he .cannot withdraw the key.

Anothernobjectof the invention is to ,so fornnthe lock that it will .be weathe-r,proof so that the switch can be aetuated at fall times irrespective of cliniaticeonditions.

,This invention also consists in certain other features of construction andin \the combination and arrangement ofthe several parts, to behereinafter fully, desoribed,-il lustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in .the appended elaim.

Imdescrihing my invention in.detail,;referenre will he had to .the accompanying drawings wherein like eharacters-denotedike or corresponding parts throughout the severahviews, and in Which:-

Figure L is an elevation showing the invention in use.

Figure 9 is a plan view.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Figure 4 a section on line 4-4 of Fig ure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail view showing the means for preventing withdrawal of the key.

Figures 6 and i' are views showing the application of the invention to a different form of switch operating means.

in these views 1 indicates the switch stand which supports the rocking member 2 which is connected with the switeh actuating means h v the shaft 3 and with the indicating means a by the shaft 5. This member 2 is rocked umuuall h means of the hand lever (S which is pivoted to the memher at T. The top of the iand i provided with notches 8 to recei e the hand lever 6 when the parts have been nioved to actuate the switch to either fully open positioinor iully closed-position.

Locking :means have been ,provided for .holgling the parts with theswitch in either open or closed position hut-suchmeans will permit the .parts to be mflved to position with the switch in anjnterniediate position so that there is danger of wrecking atrain passing over .thesngitoh and it isthe object ,of any invention to so form the Inching means that. the hey cannot be withdrawn from the look until the hand lever isplaced in one o f the notches,thusindicating to the switehinan that the parts have not been ,properlyset and also serving as a. n eans ot identifientiomof the switc hman lailingfto properly setthe parts .for,unless he had the parts .prpperl .set .he could ,not withdraw his he and t iis key will serve .to identify him.

Inmarrying out my invention I form a lock easing 9 on the nemher 2,.this easing supporting the shaft ,5 and having a slot in ,its lowenend ior receiving the npper end-of the hand lever 6. A tumbler 10 is pivoted in the casing as at 1-1, and thhs tuinhlerengagesflhmehd of Z the hand lever by ueens of the-spring l2. so as to hold said lever in d spatches. .The tnmbler is pro vided with it eoi v leve ds r ii hi a ed to be engaged by the end ,of .the lever, when thessan e is -being inoved into eithenone of ,the n otqhes so that this movement willsarise .the tumblertpperinit the lever to enterthe notrh and then the spring 12 will force the tumbler into locking engagement with the lever. The case 9 is provided with the key hole 14 for receiving the m-tuating key and the tumbler is provided with an are shaped part 15 for receiving the hit of the he). these parts being so arranged that when the key is turned the hit engaging this rur'ved part will tilt the tumhler on its pivot and raise it against the action of its spring and out of engagement with the hand lever. thus permitting the hand lever to he withdrawn from the notch. In order to prevent the with draw-a1 of the key unless the tumbler is in locking position I provide a lip H) on the tumbler whivh will move across the hit receiving part of the key hole when the tumhler is in raised position and this lip will engage the bit of the hey and prevent the withdrawal oi the her: from the lorl; if an sis attempt is made to do so with the tumbler in a position other than its locking position. As before stated this will indicate to the switchman that the hand lever is in engagement with the notch and if he should leave the parts in unlocked position the key will identify him as the person at fault.

As will be seen the case is so formed as to prevent the entrance of rain or snow into the same so that the parts will operate under all cliinatical conditions and an angle plate 17 is secured to the hand lever to engage the button of the top of the switch stand when said hand lever is occupying a notch. This late prevents an article from being passed into the lock casing to raise the tumbler. This will prevent an unauthorized person from moving the switch parts Without a key.

Figures 6 and 7 show the invention applied to the oscillating type of switch lever, said lever being shown at 18. This lever 18 is held against movement by the right angular extension 19 on the hand lever 6' which is pivoted to the top of the casing 9' and extends through slo'ts formed in the walls of the casing. The lever 6' is engaged by the tumbler 10'. The rest of the device is similar to that before described and the operation is substantially the same so that it is not thought necessary to describe this modification further.

It will of course be understood that the invention can be applied to any form of switch stand and the key used may be of the type of switch key now in use upon a number of railroads.

Attention is called to the simple nature of the locking means and also to the fact that the lock casing can be placed on the oper ating means new in use and which includes a locking member similar to the member 2 shown on the drawings. Thus the invention can be applied to existing types of switch operating means with but little chane to such means so that the application 0 the invention can be made with but little expense and without necessitating the use of a new type of key.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of In invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is In combination with a switch stand having a notched top and a rocking member therefore carrying an indicator through the medium of a shaft, of a hand lever pivotally secured to said rocking member and adapted to control the lateral movement thereof, a Weather proof lock casing provided with a slot in the lower end thereof to receive the upper end of said hand lever and bein designed to rest upon the top surface 0% the rocking member, a tumbler pivotally mounted adjacent one end thereof within the casing and designed to engage the upper end surface of the hand lever when said lever is arranged in one of said notches, a spring having one end secured to the upper end of the casing and its free end bearing against the upper surface of said tumbler to hold said lever in a locked position, said tumbler being provided with a portion of one edge curved, said portionbeing adapted to engage the end of said lever when it is being moved into either of said notches, a lip provided on said tumbler adjacent the pivoted end thereof and being adapted to overhang an arc-shaped portion formed thereon as and for the purpose specified, and an angle plate secured to said lever and adapted to provide a pick proof cover when said lever is in a locked position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOSEPH B. MILTON. 

